Notices by Abandoned America (abandonedamerica@mastodon.social), page 2

A snow-covered stage in an abandoned tuberculosis sanatorium's theater.

See the rest: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/undercliff-sanatorium

The formerly abandoned Bell Labs building in Holmdel, NJ. At one point slated for demolition, the historic site has since been turned into Bell Works, a multi-use complex that was the filming location for the series Severance.

See the rest: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/bell-labs

Originally a gold mining town with 8,000 residents, Bodie, California was essentially abandoned by the 1940s. In 1962, it was incorporated into California's Department of Parks and Recreation, which helps maintain the grounds and keeps them open so they can be enjoyed by 200,000 yearly visitors. The remaining buildings are kept in a state of arrested decay.

Check out my gallery here: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/bodie

We place such a premium on adhering to social norms that many of us who can never meet them hate ourselves for it. Those norms revolve around production of goods, services, the mirage of profitability. We try so hard to meet that standard even though the reality is that it is sometimes impossible.

The love of ruins requires the acceptance that this is *not* always possible, and that is okay. Pain, loss, and failure are part of life. If you're hurting, you're not the only one.

The important thing about finding beauty in ruins isn't showing off where you've been or what a daredevil you are. It's not about being cool, to me at least.

It's the tacit acknowledgement that "functional" isn't the only normal state, that normalcy is in fact itself an illusion. Places are scarred by what they endure. So are people.

They are still worthy of love. Forgotten, silent, unacknowledged though they may be. Even with the scars, perhaps because of them. We still deserve understanding

There's a peace that comes in letting go of the internalized stigma of age, illness, and perceived weakness. I won't pretend I've completed that journey, but abandoned places are where I've always gone to attempt to make progress with it. Perhaps if they have value, I reason, so do I. And maybe someone else who can't get there in person can find hope there too.

Maybe in the loneliest places we can feel less alone. Because it's not just you. Your struggles are shared. We all ache in some way.

I'm very excited to announce the first column of my "Decay Theory" series for Atlas Obscura. This one's about the death of the suburban American shopping mall. It's easy to write off the closure of malls as the result of online shopping - but their fate was likely sealed years before Amazon became the brick and mortar shredding juggernaut it is today. Here's the link! https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-life-and-death-of-the-suburban-american-mall

Abandoned theater

More at https://www.abandonedamerica.us/abandoned-theaters

Escalators in the abandoned Owings Mills Malls in Maryland

More at https://www.abandonedamerica.us/owings-mills-mall

The lobby of the abandoned Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Philadelphia

Gallery: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/most-blessed-sacrament-church

The bathroom in an abandoned asylum
More at: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/abandoned-asylums

The basement of a newspaper's abandoned headquarters
More at https://www.abandonedamerica.us/the-pittsburgh-post-gazette

If you'd like to see higher quality photos than the ones on my website or Facebook and have early/exclusive access to write-ups, podcasts, and more, subscribe to my Patreon here 🥰: https://www.patreon.com/AbandonedAmerica

The abandoned Seagram's Distillery (originally Baltimore Pure Rye Co.) in Dundalk, MD

Gallery/info: https://www.abandonedamerica.us/seagrams-distillery

You know what, Fediverse? I care deeply about a lot of people and things but at the end of the day my wife (rarely pictured because she is shy) and these two goofy creatures are my whole world. Maybe it seems small and ridiculous, I don't care. I'm so lucky to share my world with them. Once upon a time I loved abandoned places the most but now I have them and that is more than enough. I feel endlessly fortunate about that.

Anyway, this is my overly verbose way of saying that while I enjoy posting photos of abandoned buildings, I'm not even trying to be cool, tbh I could post photos of my pets (and maybe if I'm allowed, my wife) all day and that would be fine by me. Not even great photos! Just ones that make me happy. I don't care. It is who I am.

And you know what? I feel like that's okay here, and that makes me happy. So extend my thanks to you also, Fediverse folks. That's a nice feeling. I appreciate it.

Honestly if my entire body of work is forgotten tomorrow but I do a good job being there for them, that's okay by me.

It's a weird thing, how priorities shift over time. How one day a wife and a hound & a feisty ginger cat are your best friends and you'd throw the rest of your life in the garbage if that made them secure. And, more importantly, how that wouldn't even seem like a bad trade if it came to it, because they bring so much in return. I'm glad I have them to love. I am grateful for it

@adamconover that would be awesome, it's so nice to see you here. I'm a huge fan of your work!

@tom4okstate I'm a little shocked too. It feels really, really half-assed for such a big platform

@Gargron @waltbaldwin unfortunately when I use the back button in the app it still reloads my notifications and resets to the top of the feed.

By the way, while we're talking, thank you for your hard work. I would hate to be complainy about these issues without mentioning that I realize that you've put a lot of time and effort into Mastodon and I think what you've achieved with it is pretty astonishing. I am sure the amount of bugs you've squashed is far beyond my comprehension.